In an effort to promote the security of occupants of hotel and motel rooms and the like, dead bolt locks are commonly provided on the doors of such rooms. In addition to dead bolt locks, such doors are usually provided also with common latch locks. Unfortunately, and perhaps because of forgetfulness or other reasons, the occupants of rooms often do not bother to lock the dead bolt locks. The common latch locks can rather easily be defeated, and in the absence of locked dead bolts, a motel or hotel room becomes easy prey for burglars.
I have contemplated several ways of solving this problem. One of these ways has involved the use of an automatic dead bolt lock which would be electrically powered (as through a solenoid), and which would automatically be moved to the locked position in response to the turning on of an interior light or television set or the like. The drawbacks of this solution are manifold, of course, perhaps the more important drawback being the potential failure of the dead bolt transport mechanism which could result in one being effectively locked in one's room. Also, the room occupant would thus lose his freedom of choice as to whether the door should be locked or unlocked with a dead bolt lock.
A security system which would avoid the potential problem of malfunctioning of an automatic dead bolt lock, which would preserve freedom of choice for the occupant as to whether a door should be locked with a dead bolt or not, but which would none the less strongly encourage occupants of hotels or motels to lock their room doors with dead bolts from the inside, would be highly beneficial.